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CCNTV6
  • 7 months ago
Yet another report of a student disrupting classes in Tobago, this time at the Moriah Government Primary School where a ten-year-old student is said to be the problem.

TTUTA Tobago officer Bradon Roberts is concerned about the situation, and is speaking out on issues of the Sixx and 7 gang's influence in the Primary School system.

Elizabeth Williams spoke with Mr. Roberts outside the Moriah Government Primary School and has this report.
Transcript
00:00The standard two-child in question, while teachers are seeking to intervene,
00:06they are also fighting back the teachers, I mean, the cursing the principal
00:10and why I had to come to treat with the matter.
00:15Parents are enabling it.
00:17So the senior teacher would have shared with me three voice notes
00:19that the parent in question would have sent.
00:22And after listening to the first one, I had to take some time to talk.
00:25Mr. Roberts spoke with TV6 News outside the Mariah Government Primary School.
00:31He said there must be a no-nonsense approach to indiscipline at all schools.
00:36Our parents, instead of disciplining our young ones,
00:40we are sending derogative statements seeking to demoralize our teachers, and that cannot be.
00:45So what I'm really calling for is a no-nonsense approach,
00:47a no-tolerance to the indiscipline of our young students.
00:51We are not even talking about secondary school.
00:53Our primary schools are now competing with our secondary schools for bad behavior.
00:58Mr. Roberts said instances where matters must be reported to the police,
01:03he is calling on the police to act.
01:06We have teachers when they go to report at the police station,
01:09there's a reluctance of the police to do their duty.
01:11Even if it's to take the report and issue that receipt and so on,
01:15we have to get the intervention of this one officer who I know takes it very seriously,
01:19and that's Officer Mills. Once ever reports are taken to the Officer Mills,
01:24we see that kind of response.
01:25But other than that, we are not seeing where even the police is taking this thing very seriously.
01:30Roberts said it is now a case of indiscipline among students and the parents repeating itself.
01:37He drew reference to another school facing problems with a student.
01:41We even had the incident at Blacklock Government Primary School where a Standard 4 student
01:46stole the cash pan of the talk shop, also went to the principal's office and stole and envelope it money.
01:52And the creativity of thought of the student is concerning.
01:57The student threw the cash pan over the fence that he will retrieve later on
02:00and also took the money and hid it in the tank of the toilet.
02:04He highlighted the increase in sexual activity of students at the primary school level.
02:11There is also the concern of sexual activity.
02:14I am not certain that children who already have that tendency could focus on any level of schoolwork.
02:20So we hear that once teachers are hearing of these things, they should be able to report.
02:27But sometimes when the report comes, it's from side conversations from other students and so on.
02:35The health authorities should be in a position to do the examinations and so on.
02:40Parents, again, we cannot be negligent thinking that these activities are beyond your children.
02:47They are children who are starting very early.
02:49In addition, he said, the influence of the six and seven gangs.
02:53Even at BlackRock government, I'm hearing that the one young man where I spoke of with the money that he would have stolen,
03:01it's alleged to be a part of one of those groups, the six and seven.
03:05And if we don't treat with it, imagine these gangs already started in the primary school.
03:11When would we get rid of gang activity if we don't fix it now?
03:14So I'm seeking the attention of the new government.
03:18The six and seven movements should not be taken lightly.
03:22We should work within our primary schools coming all the way up to eradicate it.
03:25He said next Tuesday, a meeting is to be held with the Division of Education on the issues affecting Tobago's schools.
03:33Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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